Justin Gaethje came up short in the ESPY Fighter of the Year race, as the award went to boxing star Terence Crawford.
Gaethje was the only MMA fighter nominated for ESPN's Fighter of the Year ESPY, but the final nod went to Crawford. Pat McAfee announced Crawford as the winner on his show before the ceremony.
Other nominees for the award included Gabriela Fundora and Claressa Shields. Crawford's award-winning campaign included a victory over Canelo Alvarez in September in his only bout during the period.
Known as "The Highlight", Gaethje put together a busy campaign during the year in question. He became undisputed UFC lightweight champion, later suffering a knockout loss to Max Holloway at UFC 300 in April 2024. He rebounded with wins over Rafael Fiziev at UFC 313 in March 2025, Paddy Pimblett at UFC 324 in January to claim the interim lightweight title, and Ilia Topuria by fourth-round TKO at UFC White House in June to unify the belts.
